Amazon to Open New Cashierless Stores in Chicago and San Francisco

It appears that Amazon’s innovation crusade is far from over. On Monday, a company’s spokesperson declared that Amazon intends to open new cashierless stores in San Francisco and Chicago. Amazon Go’s new stores will unroll their red carpets at the end of the year.

Amazon Go’s Cashierless Stores in the Forefront of Online Business Revolution

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, here are the facts. At the beginning of April, Amazon trumpeted the opening of a concept store in Seattle. The futuristic-looking store was unlike anything out there.

With no cashiers or sales representatives for that matter, customers could simply walk up to any aisle, grab an item and leave the store. Behind this seemingly easy buy-and-leave concept stands decades of AI research data.

An Amazon spokesperson revealed that such a store is outfitted with dozens of cameras and sensors. These gizmos keep track of a customer’s shopping basket. Paired with a smartphone application, the items are deduced directly from the bank account, without the need to stand in line.

Apparently, the so-called Cashierless store was very well received by the public.

Of course, for Amazon, this was a milestone in its quest to stay ahead of the curve. More specifically, the company wanted to place greater emphasis on food and beverages sales, a market segment dominated by physical retail stores.

With Monday’s announcement, it looks as though the company was successful in selling the concept to the public.

Although many argued that the technology alone would make the company forfeit its plans, Amazon intends to expand its business.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, all we know for certain is that Chicago and San Francisco were chosen by the company. The actual number of cashierless stores to be opened remains unknown.

Still, Amazon Go’s stores are not without human employees. Though most of the operations are handled by machines, the store still needs cooks to work in the kitchen, greeters at the door, and people checking ID in the alcohol aisle.